GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
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Information: Press Office
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 6, 2020
HOLY EPARCHIAL SYNOD COMMUNIQUE
NEW YORK – On Monday, April 6, 2020, the Holy Eparchial Synod convened, via teleconference, in order to discuss significant matters that affect the Archdiocese of America, and unanimously decided the following:
1) The sacred services of our Orthodox tradition for Holy Week and Easter will continue to be observed in the Parishes and the Monasteries following the directives of the local Metropolitans and in accordance to the mandates of the respective State and Health authorities. Therefore, the “closed-doors” policy will be strictly enforced, the services will be broadcasted via the internet and they will be celebrated only with the participation of the priest, the chanter, and the acolyte.
2) Abiding by the regulations of the aforementioned State and Health authorities, there will be absolutely no distribution of the traditional material offerings to the faithful, including palms, candles, Holy Unction, flowers, eggs and the Paschal Light.
3) Spiritual guidance may be provided remotely using technological means, but the Sacrament of Holy Confession and the Prayer of Absolution cannot be offered via the telephone or via electronic media.
4) This year’s National Clergy-Laity Congress will be held through an internet teleconference forum on a date to be announced in the near future.
FROM THE CHIEF SECRETARIAT OF THE HOLY EPARCHIAL SYNOD.
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HELLO DEVOTED PARISHIONERS AND ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS OF ST. JOHN'S. I HAVE BEEN IN MY HOME IN ASTORIA FOR 3 1/2 WEEKS NOW, SINCE I AM OVER 70 YEARS OLD. HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT SINCE WE ARE TOLD TO SELF-ISOLATE I HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM OUR BELOVED ST. JOHN'S AND MY DUTIES THERE. I HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR ALL OF YOU CONTINUALLY AND HOPE AND PRAY GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS SOON.
SINCE NEW YORK CITY IS THE EPICENTER OF THE VIRUS RIGHT NOW WE ARE ASKED TO ISOLATE OURSELVES UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH. THIS WILL UNFORTUNATELY CANCEL OUR HOLY WEEK SERVICES AND EASTER. AS A RESULT, ST. JOHN'S WILL REMAIN CLOSED FOR SERVICES.
EVERY THURSDAY EVENING NOW AT 7:30 P.M. I HOST ONLINE BIBLE STUDY. IT IS OPEN TO ALL WHO WISH TO ATTEND. I WILL POST THE LINK ON WEDNESDAY TO OUR ZOOM SITE SO YOU CAN STILL FEEL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. IT WILL BE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
MY PRAYERS ARE WITH ALL OF YOU DURING THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME IN OUR LIFES. I HOPE AND PRAY THAT OUR GOOD AND LOVING GOD KEEPS ALL OF YOU SAFE AND UNDER THE SHADOW OF HIS WINGS!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND BLESSINGS!
WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF DONATIONS FOR THE RENOVATIONS. SO PLEASE TAKE THE TIME AND BE AS GENEROUS AS YOU CAN TO HELP KEEP ST. JOHN'S A VIABLE COMMUNITY FOR TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT SENT IN THIS YEAR'S STEWARDSHIP 2020 PLEASE DO THAT TODAY. THE 2020 FORM IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
SINCE WE WILL NOT HAVE SERVICES WE ASK THAT YOU ADD A LITTLE MORE TO YOUR EASTER DONATIONS IN ORDER TO HELP WITH THE LACK OF DONATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
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THE MIRACLE HATER!
During my undergraduate and graduate years, I had the good pleasure of meeting some great and wonderful professors. Most understood the path I chose as a religious, but others had reservations. Since I was majoring in Philosophy and Psychology at Kingsborough Community College, I had the opportunity of interacting with each department head and staff. These two departments shared the same office space, and I really enjoyed the ability to speak with them throughout the day. The head of the Department of Psychology and professor was a reform Jew and he allowed me to articulate what we as Orthodox Christians believe, along with informing him that I was a novice monk from St. Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt. Throughout my studies there, we had many very interesting conversations about the world and its influence on religion. In one exchange he asked me if I had ever read the book entitled “The Miracle Hater.” I told him I never came across it. So I looked it up in the library computer system and it did not appear anywhere. It was completely unknown at that time.
During one summer break from Queens College many years later, I made a second trip to St. Catherine’s Monastery and resumed my duties as a novice. While there I met a few monks from the Jerusalem Patriarchate, who were on a retreat for a few weeks at the monastery. It was my job to take care of their needs and show them around the monastery. I enjoyed the time we had together and their company very much. As a result, at the end of their visit, they invited me to the Patriarchate if I was going up that way after leaving St. Catherine’s. So I took them up on their offer and stayed with them for ten days in Jerusalem. It was during my daily walks into the Old City that I found a wonderful small book store along the way. I entered and asked the owner if he had ever come across “The Miracle Hater,” since it was written by a very famous Jewish author. He replied "yes", and pointed to the large stacks of books in the corner of the shop. When I went over to see if I could find it, I did not only found one, but fifty or so of them. What a surprise! I had to travel halfway around the world to find it. He commented that it is a very popular read since it was now translated from Hebrew into English. He said the author is one of the best-known writers in Jerusalem and was author-in-residence at Hebrew University at that time. However, since my trip there she died some years later in November 2003.
During my travels that summer, I read the book and realized why the professor told me to read it. The location and setting of her novel was the Sinai desert. Professor Shulamith Hareven weaves a scenario that is profoundly deep within the Jewish psyche even to this day.
Furthermore, it deals with the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt, and what they had to endure during their forty years wandering the Sinai desert in hopes of one day reaching the Promised Land. This is not your familiar Charlton Heston version of Moses and the Biblical Exodus. In her book hardship and death loom at every step the Hebrews take. Babies born on the road die from the lack of mother’s milk, since they could not find enough water for the mothers to drink in order to produce milk for their newborn. As a result, malnutrition was the norm. Moreover, continuous fear of marauders invading and taking what little they had was always on their minds. How could this happen to God’s Chosen People you may ask, to suffer this continuous torture to such an extent that they almost become extinct on their journey to find the land of Milk and Honey promised to them by God?
Her book questions whether the “Theodicy” the people of Israel faced was better than what they faced when they were in captivity in Egypt? Even though the Hebrew people were in bondage in Egypt and wanted to escape their captivity, they now reflect upon what they now face in the desert being loved by God and His Chosen People. She says that because of this many breakaway from Moses' group and chose to go on their own.
The new group saw nothing good in staying with his group. What benefit was it to them if they stayed? They might as well go it alone. She expresses what all of us feel when we are facing danger and trouble in our lives. We may say to ourselves as Edward G. Robinson does when he proclaims to Charlton Heston who plays Moses in the “Ten Commandments” “Where is your God now Moses!”
After forty years the Hebrews reach and cross a river where the smell of life surrounds them, and their noses are filled with aromas that are strange to them in the desert. In the end, the ones who finally make it across the river had to climb up a steep mountain and over a large ridge where they finally saw a city, and then “no one was left in the desert.” Both groups suffered and many died to make it to the promised land in her story, those who went with God and Moses, and those who went on their own.
Finally, I understand why my professor wanted me to read "The Miracle Hater" and it had a great impact upon me especially since I just left St. Catherine's and the Sinai Desert. However for us, our Promised Land is Life Eternal in the glorious Kingdom of God, but we too have to suffer and try to make a life for ourselves in the here and now even if it is hard and difficult. We must never forget what we have been given by He who loves us more than we love ourselves. He gave us His great mercy and promised He will never desert us. Life for us is a journey that is filled with high mountains and low valleys we must traverse and navigate through in order to reach what God Son has promised awaits for us at its conclusion. Keep the faith no matter what befalls us and continually focus on the reason we are here, that is, in order to reach that glorious finish line at the end of this earthly life, life eternal! Amen
Unable to gather in person for Holy Week, the heads of jurisdictions joined together to send you a message of solidarity from their homes to yours!
Today, Her Excellency, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the President of the Hellenic Republic, called His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America led the first in a series of daily prayers for those faithful of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America who have either passed away or are suffering from complications related to the coronavirus COVID19.
